1. Field of Invention
The invention relates to the field of document presentation processing, wherein elements of electronic information (i.e., text or graphics) are gathered, associated, created, formatted, edited, prepared, and presented.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method of creating presentations by linking to relevant image sources.
2. Description of Related Art
Several commercial databases of indexed web pages on the World Wide Web are available (for example, GOOGLE® search engine, ALTAVISTA® search engine, MSN® search engine, etc.). Such databases, popularly known as search engines, are extremely popular and are used extensively by web users to search for relevant information. These days search engines are being used not only to search for textual information, but also for image information. For example, by entering appropriate keywords in a search box, “GOOGLE IMAGES™” search services will display a large collection of small-sized images to the user.
However, the limitation of the conventional way of searching for images on the search engines is that if the user finds a set of images matching his interests, he has no convenient option of saving the collection of images for his own later use or for forwarding the collection of images to his contacts. He could save the images one-by-one in a folder on his computer or he could save the images as a bookmark by clicking on each image and saving the URL as a bookmark. However, both these processes are extremely cumbersome. Saving the images one-by-one in a folder on his computer will consume a large memory space in the computer. The user can also not conveniently send the collection of images to his contacts by email, because of the heavy size of the image files. Saving the each image as a bookmark has the limitation that the logical connections and relationships between related images are not visible to the user.
Another limitation of the conventional way of searching for images on the search engines is that the images retrieved from, say “GOOGLE IMAGES™” search services, can not be conveniently organized into a meaningful collection. The information relating to each individual image has to be viewed by serially clicking the image. There is no convenient way to view all information related to the images without having to serially drill through each link.
Another limitation of the conventional way of searching for images on the search engines is that there is no convenient way to author and edit a presentation relating to a user's search interests. The conventional way also does not allow a user to annotate the images with his observations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,404 discloses an image retrieval method and apparatus wherein for retrieval of a plurality of images, a sub-image of each image is specified and extracted, reference data such as memo data related to each sub-image is stored, and the sub-image and the memo data related thereto are combined and outputted as desired, thereby simplifying the retrieval of the plurality of images. Specifically, a sub-image, which is the most characteristic to each image, is extracted and combined with a memo data to thereby provide a clear clue to the image extraction. The number of specified sub-images is freely increased without rewriting original image data stored in an image file and image retrieval is settled by using a memo image and a cutout sub-image both having a less amount of data than the entire image, so that applications to a storage medium which is not rewritable, for example, an optical disc can be ensured with high response image display. However, this patent does not teach the combination of searching for images on the internet, authoring a slideshow presentation of images in real-time, and publishing the slideshow presentation to a web URL or to a database.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,453 discloses an apparatus for cataloging and retrieving image data is programmed to store not only image data obtained by scanning each original but also reduced image data obtained by thinning these image data and search data used for the convenience in search operations. In a search operation, a plurality of reduced image data may be displayed simultaneously or sequentially with corresponding search data. Image data may be stored in a compressed form so that an increased amount of data can be stored. The apparatus may be programmed such that stored reduced image data are sequentially displayed while a specified key is depressed and particular image data corresponding to the data displayed when the key is released are displayed. However, the patent does not teach the combination of searching for images on the internet, authoring a slideshow presentation of images in real-time, and publishing the slideshow presentation to a web URL or to a database.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,648 discloses software for electronically annotating electronic images, such as drawings, photographs, video, etc., through the drag-and-drop of annotations from a pre-defined, but extendable, list. The annotations are placed at a user-selected X, Y location on the image, and stored in a searchable database. Thus, they can be searched in order to retrieve, organize, group, or display desired electronic images or collections of such images. The annotations may be text, images, sounds, etc. The invention provides a flexible, easy to learn, rapid, low error rate and satisfying interface for accomplishing such tasks. However, the patent does not teach the combination of searching for images on the internet, authoring a slideshow presentation of images in real-time, and publishing the slideshow presentation to a web URL or to a database.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,859,909 discloses a system and method for annotating web-based documents. The invention allows computer users to integrate any annotation, including ink, highlighter, text-based notes and audio, directly into a Web-based document (WBD) displayed by a Web browser. This integration enables others to view the personalized annotated WBD, which retains its original active links and properties, over the Internet without the need for specialized software. Annotations are integrated into WBDs by freezing the WBD, overlaying an image file containing the annotations onto the WBD, and enabling browser events to pass through the image layer. Annotations may also be integrated into WBDs by using component object technology. The present invention collects and organizes annotated WBDs, and provides users with an intuitive Web-based interface for accessing, viewing and searching the annotated WBDs. Users may annotate blank WBDs, effectively converting their Web browsers into online notebooks/scrapbooks. The present invention also provides users with many novel interface techniques, such as dog-ears and its associated navigation tools, splitting pages, turning pages, selecting and copying various portions of a WBD (including shaking out a copy), and marking menus suited for right-handed or left-handed users. However, this patent does not teach the combination of searching for images on the internet, authoring a slideshow presentation of images in real-time, and publishing the slideshow presentation to a web URL or to a database.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,010,537 discloses a method and system for visual network searching, wherein search request is signaled over the network to a search engine. A search result is received that identifies a plurality of network addresses. Multiple pages are automatically rendered, each page being located by a corresponding network addresses in the search result. However, the patent does not create a structured document which could be rendered as a slide show presentation by a multimedia rendering software. The patent also does not teach providing an option to a user to edit and annotate the sequence of pages. The patent also does not teach providing an option to a user to save and publish the sequence of pages or to share the sequence of pages with other users.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,010,751 discloses a method for the electronic annotation, retrieval, and use of electronic images. The invention provides software for electronically annotating electronic images, such as drawings, photographs, video, etc., through the drag-and-drop of annotations from a pre-defined, but extendable, list. The annotations are placed at a user-selected X, Y location on the image, and stored in a searchable database. Thus, they can be searched in order to retrieve, organize, group, or display desired electronic images or collections of such images. The annotations may be text, images, sounds, etc. The invention provides a flexible, easy to learn, rapid, low error rate and satisfying interface for accomplishing such tasks. However, this patent does not teach the combination of searching for images on the internet, authoring a slideshow presentation of images in real-time, and publishing the slideshow presentation to a web URL or to a database.